April 2010
In This Issue
Play Day 2010
Playground Match
Park Scores
Blue Greenway Update
RPD Employee Highlight
McLaren Park Chili Cookoff
Community Garden Update
Volunteers of the Month
Dolores Park Works
I Love My Park
Read an interview with
park-goer Ben Schaefer
Featured Video
Muriel Leff Mini Park Workday
April Events
See NPC's April calendar
4/1: NERT Training Mission District 6:30pm
4/3: Rec and Park Family Spring Eggstravaganza Event 11:00am
4/4: SF Bike Coalition: Bikes, Binoculars and Birds 9:00am
4/8: Play Day 2010 10:00am
4/11: Sunday Streets 10:00am
4/12-19: Mission Playground Public Art Proposal View
4/17: DogFest 2010 11:00am
4/18: People's Earth Day 10:00am
4/22: Lafayette Park Planning Meeting 7:00pm
4/29: Bartending for Parks 6:00pm
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Dear Friends,
This month we kick off our annual Playground Initiative efforts to identify and improve dilapidated playgrounds citywide. Please join us in supporting healthy play spaces for kids by making a gift to our Playground Initiative Matching Challenge. Thanks to a generous challenge grant from the Mimi and Peter Haas Fund of $15,000, every dollar you give to support our work goes twice as far! See more information in this issue of our enews and click HERE to give! Thank you so much!
Bond funding to repair and improve our neighborhood parks is on the way at last, and your involvement in park improvements is essential. In February of 2008, voters approved the $185 Million Clean and Safe Neighborhood Parks Bond. In addition to the 12 neighborhood parks that received dedicated funding for park repair, free standing restrooms, trees, trials, playfields and community projects via the Opportunity Fund are also going to benefit from financial support.
Neighborhood Parks Council's annual event Play Day highlights the importance of play in our city. At this year's event we will be releasing our 2010 Playground Report Card! Play Day is a part of our Playground Initiative which works to ensure that playgrounds are valued, protected, and improved citywide. We invite you to volunteer at Play Day 2010! Volunteers will help clean up the Peru St. play area in McLaren Park from 10am to noon. From noon to 2pm, volunteers and local youth will enjoy a free picnic lunch. Space is limited, please RSVP to volunteer here.
Swinging Into Gear: Donate to the Playground Initiative
The Playground Initiative works with the community to improve unsafe playgrounds by hosting clean-up days and events.
NPC wants your help in raising the funds for the Mimi and Peter Haas Fund match. Our goal is to raise $15,000, which will be doubled to help with our work in making playgrounds cleaner, safer and more enjoyable for all children.
Help us provide 365 days of services around the City - one day at a time - by supporting a playground.
- $100 will ensure each playground in San Francisco is evaluated for safety hazards and prioritized for any needed repairs
- $250 allows NPC to plan a volunteer work day at a dilapidated playground to improve its condition
- $500 gives NPC the ability to start a park group at a run-down playground to help transform it for the whole community
Remember, your gift will qualify for the match and double in value between now and the April 31st, so please give as generously as you can.
Please contact us at donate@sfnpc.org with any questions or visit www.sfnpc.org/donateplayground to make your contribution.
Park Scores Continue Improvement; Disparities Remain Between Districts
In a report released March 16th, 2010, the Controller's Office City Services Auditor (CSA) has identified an overall increase in park standards from 87.3% last year to 90.8% this year. Both CSA and Recreation and Park Department (RPD) staff evaluated each park or open space citywide using the San Francisco Park Maintenance Standards Manual. With a majority of parks scoring over 90%, the scores show marked improvement in the condition of our city's parks.
However, still troubling are the disparities that exist between Supervisorial Districts and neighborhoods. Overall, District 2 scored the highest with a 95.3% rating and District 10 the lowest at 83.1%. While it is extremely encouraging that our parks are increasingly well-maintained (particularly with limited staffing), yet keeping an eye towards equity remains especially important. Please take a moment to read the report, and check how your park or District performed. Click here to download the full report.
The first Community Planning Meeting to review the Blue Greenway existing conditions, opportunities and constraints and best practices will be in April, 2010 (date TBA). After receiving community input at the April meeting, the Port will draft design guideline concepts for site furnishing, way-finding, interpretation, locations for public art, open space programming and preliminary costs for review and project prioritization which will be reviewed by the Community in the summer. Check the Port’s website for more information.
Continue reading for updates on India Basin/Area C Planning, an announcement of a Sunday Streets event on the Blue Greenway and more!
RPD Employee Highlight: Lydia Zaverukha, Principal Administrative Analyst
Ten years ago, Lydia Zaverukha joined the Recreation and Park Department and immediately started working with NPC on a number of projects that have proven to be key to improving the condition of our parks. At that time, the legislation for a new park bond had just passed, as well as legislation requiring the Department to develop Strategic and Operations Plans. Lydia worked with NPC on a variety of stakeholder meetings for that multi-year effort.
Help McLaren Park's Second Annual Chili Cookoff
What do you get when you combine tasty chili, nice weather, and good friends? You get Help McLaren Park's Second Annual Chili Cookoff! Continue reading to learn more about this fun event, and how you can get involved in the park group's efforts!
Growing Home Community Garden Update
Stewarded by Project Homeless Connect , the Growing Home Community Garden is a small strip of community gardens on the east side of Octavia Boulevard, between Oak and Fell Streets. Although this garden remains hidden to many, it provides a place where both homeless and housed San Franciscans can work side by side to help grow nutritious food and community at the same time. With a focus on community building, the GHCG provides an inspirational venue to change community norms and prejudices; improve community relations, and provide an opportunity for San Franciscans to grow together. The GHCG also provides classes in skill building, nutritional education, and food preparation
The Growing Home Community Garden is the result of collaboration between Project Homeless Connect, the Department of Public Health, Department of Public Works, San Francisco Clean City Coalition, Farms to Grow, the Hayes Valley Neighborhood Association, and many others.
The garden is open Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays from 1pm-4pm, for people who want to volunteer or just check it out.
Click here to visit the Growing Home Community Garden website.
